Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov
Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov is one of the most extensive and most important high-mountain caves in Slovakia. It is also the only accessible high-mountain cave in the country. It is located at an altitude of 1,520 m a.s.l. on the southern side of the Ďumbier massif in Nízke Tatry.
Accessibility to the cave is possible from several directions. From the village of Bystrá towards Trangoška, and from there on foot for approximately 1 hour via a mountain trail to Chata M. R. Štefánika. The second route also leads from the village of Bystrá, but towards Srdiečko, where you will take the cable car to the Kosodrevina intermediate station, or all the way to the top of Chopok peak, and from there on foot to the aforementioned mountain hut. From the Liptov side, a hike on foot is possible from Liptovský Ján, or from the Jasná - Biela púť ski resort by cable car to Chopok and from there on foot to Chata M. R. Štefánika.
The cave is accessible from March to December on weekends, and during the summer holidays, it is open daily. In the months of January and February, it is completely closed. Before you head out for a trip here, check the admission fees and opening hours directly on the official website. Every entry must be reported and reserved in advance by phone or email.
The cave tour is possible on three routes. Route A, approximately 1 km long, can be completed even with children. It leads through the central 7th floor of the cave and consists mainly of rock paths and wire-rope ladder belays. For the more demanding, there are routes B and C, speleotrekking tours made accessible by the speleological guide service. These are accessible only to physically fit persons over 18 years of age. The first of them is slightly less demanding and takes approximately 2 hours. The second one is for advanced visitors with climbing experience, as the truly demanding cave terrain is exposed almost continuously. It lasts approximately 3 hours.
Kozie chrbty, a relatively small limestone massif with deep folding, is 2 km long and 300 m wide. In its depths, it hides an intricate tangle of corridors across a total of (so far known) 14 floors and 2 parallel branches. The currently mapped length of the cave is 19,885 m, with a depth of 324 m. The largest underground space is located directly under Chata M. R. Štefánika. It is the well-known Bystrický dóm hall with a volume of up to 52,500 m³. It is located on the 7th floor, at a depth of 180 m.
An interesting feature is a huge find site of bat bones, the age of which is estimated at 6,000 years. It is precisely to this largest bat burial ground that the cave owes its name. Besides these, however, bones of small rodents, martens, brown bear, and goat were also found on the edges.
Another interesting feature of the cave is the occurrence of volcanic rocks from the Cretaceous period. These are folded into the limestone formation and appear in several cave passages. You can recognize them by their reddish-brown or green color. White-pink agate is also present here.
Since 2001, the cave has been declared a national natural monument. Its environment is cold, humid, and dark, but it has a beneficial effect on the upper respiratory tract. Its average temperature reaches 3.5 °C, while some of its parts do not exceed a temperature of more than 1 °C year-round. For this reason, warm clothing and, of course, suitable sturdy footwear are required to enter the cave.
To become a real cave explorer for a moment and visit what is probably one of the oldest caves in Slovakia. Are you still hesitating? There is nothing to think about, but we recommend taking enough time for the tour and not rushing. It will be ideal to book accommodation near Jaskyňa mŕtvych netopierov so that you don't rush the excursion, but fully experience it, or combine this unique experience with other nearby attractions.
